A petition to save four Croydon libraries has been branded a ‘nonsense campaign’ by the council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport.

Last week Croydon South MP Chris Philp started a petition against “secret plans to close four libraries”.

He claims that Bradmore Green (in Coulsdon), Purley, Sanderstead and Shirley libraries are all n danger of closure.

But Croydon Council is adamant that it will be keeping all 13 of the borough’s libraries open.

A report the council commissioned from consultants Red Quadrant, singled out the four libr,aries as sites for ‘relocation’ and ‘releasing space’ and suggested how much money the council could save by closing libraries, but did not specifically call for any closures.

But Mr Philp said: “The report, commissioned by Croydon’s Labour-run Council, specifically targets libraries in the south of the borough and Shirley

“This is a typical example of Croydon’s Labour council hitting front-line services instead of cutting waste.”

But Councillor Oliver Lewis of the ruling Labour group, assured that these particular recommendations from the consultants were not being taken on board by the council.

He said there are currently no plans to redevelop any libraries in Croydon.

“Red Quadrant were commissioned by the council to come up with a whole range of options in a report,” he said.

“And we have reserved the right to ignore those options that they have come up with.

“I think there is a lot of residents who rely on libraries who are understandably quite upset around some of these rumours.

“This is a nonsense campaign around saving libraries.”

Mr Lewis said that he believes in the importance of libraries and the council is investing £5 million to upgrade IT and refurbish library buildings.

He added: “When the Conservatives were the administration on Croydon Council they got a private company in to run out libraries and reduced the budgets.

“There is a real difference between then and now, the service is back in house and we are investing in it.”